Forget your Euro 2020, your overpaid players, VAR and 60,000 fans (at least until Sunday) – the real football starts on Friday as the 2021/22 season is ushered in in Scotland.
The Premier Sports Cup (formerly the Betfred Cup) kicks off tonight with two matches which pair a couple of ambitious minnows who'll be looking to upset a their more illustrious opponents.
New Central Park in Fife is the venue for the first live match of the season where Dundee United are the visitors to the SPFL's newest club Kelty Hearts.
The Jambos will play in the highest tier of the 47-year history after gaining promotion to the Second Division with a Play-off win over Brechin City. Gone from the Hearts' hotseat is Rangers' former midfield maestro Barry Ferguson, replaced by Rangers' former midfield maestro Kevin Thomson. Kelty are in a hurry to climb up the league pyramid and will be keen to make a splash against Premier League opposition.
It's the kind of test that new United manager Tam Courts would rather have avoided for his first competetive match in charge. His appointment has been given a lukewarm reception by the Arabs' fans and he'll be desperate to hit the ground running.
Our Scottish football expert KevMac has written a detailed preview of the match and found a way to get Kelty onside at 23/20 in his match preview.
Friday's other match sees Championship side Hamilton Accies make the trip to the capital for a tricky tie against Edinburgh City. the Accies were eventually relegated from the top flight in May and need to pick up the pieces from that disappointment. The Accies are priced at 3/4 to win with Edinburgh at 15/4 (Bet365).
Remember, these Premier Sports Cup matches are part of a sectional group stage – not knock-out games. Clubs are awarded the usual three points for a win but all drawn games in the group stage go straight to penalties – the shoot-out winners receive a bonus point. ie three points for a win, two points for a shoot-out win and one point for losing on penalties – so draws aren't the worst results for teams involved.
There's a further 13 matches in the competition to look forward to on Saturday. Can't wait!
Greg is turning a blind eye to the games in Scotland and instead is looking for a nice double in Iceland for his Bet of the Day. He's got two stats-based bets from the Icelandir second tier which pays a cool 6/5.
Heads-up for the two remaining Copa America matches this weekend. Colombia and Peru will contest the 3rd placed play-off at 1am on Saturday morning, with the big one at the same time on Sunday morning where the two great rivals, Argentina and Brazil go head-to-head for the title. Tolu has previewed both matches for us below.
Upcoming Match Previews & Tips
- Football Bet of the day: Off to Iceland on a quiet Friday
- Fri 1.30am – New York Red Bulls v Philadelphia Union Preview & Tips
- Fri 7.45pm – Kelty Hearts v Dundee Utd Preview & Tips
- Sat 01.00am – Colombia v Peru Preview & Tips
- Sun 01.00am – Copa America Final: Argentina v Brazil Preview & Tips
Friday's Racing Tips
Rizzel has a bumper day for us on Friday with six selections from across the card.
As always, let us know your tips and predictions for Friday in the comment section below and good luck with all your bets!
In December 2020 we sadly 
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Rocha FC
V
Juventud de Las Piedras
22:30
Uruguayan Segunda Division
BTTS 21-20 (UNIBET)
Rocha scored in 4 of 5 games this season.
*** Rocha BTTS and overs in these 4 games ***
Rocha scored in 12 of last 14 homes.
Juventud scored in 4 of 5 games this season.
Juventud scored in 9 of last 12 aways.
Juventud slight favourites and could nick this 1-0 but Rocha scored 2 v league leaders racing last home game and scored in all 6 historical head to head here
Only 2 recent head to heads which are relevant were last season both which finished 1-1.
Prediction 1-1
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1-1 on 38 minutes
🇺🇾 Winner 🇺🇾
Brilliant once again Elvis!! 👏🏼
Well done Elvis
Thanks Elvis, top self stuff.
waiting patiently for bet 365 to price up the scottish league cup matches so everyone else can copy
Kelty v Dundee Unt .
First game of the season so I`m going for a few card punts
Over3 cards in the match 2/1
Over 1 card for Kelty & over 0 cards for Unt 2/1
Each team over 2 cards 33/1
Bet365
Red card in the match 6/1
Each team to see a red 125/1
Each team over 1 card 5/1
At least 1 card in each half 6/5
Hills
Some decent prices in there that have a chance of landing .
the only way England can win may boil down to diving for penalties, VAR assistance,, UEFA backing, biased refereeing and outright luck through set pieces..but from open fair play I see Italy winning by two goals to nil.. Italy win and good luck to everyone with your bets
Blimey someones bitter
If they believe they can win ,and dont sit back to much they have every chance
England should be picking the trophy up no doubts there.I can’t see Italy being as gung ho as they have otherwise England will just pick them off.Spain dominated Italy for large parts and really should of beaten them.
Sky offering 3/1 England win in 90 min .
Not going to happen sasaharv IT’S COMING HOME IT’S COMING FOOTBALLS COMING HOME.Don’t be bitter la your starting to sound like a bluenose.
It’s a conspiracy Dudush, they are all in league together.
What other country would have had every game bar 1 at home in an international competition supposedly played over numerous continents ?? Its been handed to england on a plate and i for one,want Italy to absolutely batter them lol
Macca,its blindsided eejits like you that make everyone hate yous.You think yer unbeatable,dodgy pen,diving and always playing at home through the comp,bar 1 game….95% of Scotland will be half Italian Sunday,believe me.And Shemima Begum has more chance of coming home LA !!!!
Macca don’t bite lad these scots are shaking in their boots that England are guna be euro champions , and it’s not being arrogant were the best team in it……….Italy will give us a damn good game though……..
Who cares if Scotland hates us,i don’t think one person in England gives a sh*t.FOOTBALLS COMING HOME HAHA
Decent treble yesterday, shame there wasn’t a third goal in the Bohemians game. Difficult card today.
Over 2.5mgs 4 fold @ 3/2 (bet365)
Olafsvik vs Grindavik
Chesham vs Wycombe XI
Long Melford vs Brightlingsea
Kelty vs Dundee Utd
Bet builder @ 3/1 (WHill)
Over 1.5mgs
4+ corners each team
Card each team
Good luck all 🤞
Reynir sandgerdi over 2.5mgs
Thor akureyi btts
Double evens
Add st Patrick’s over 2.5mgs treble 7/2
Good luck
Lost
St Pats v Derry 7.45
BTTS 6/5
Both teams on good goal scoring form, 4 out of the last 5 for both teams seeing BTTS. Not as big a gap as the league table suggests, Derry had a crap start to the league and r starting to find a bita form. The two teams played on the 24th May it finished 2-2 hope both teams can find the net tonite
Good Luck All
@Sashaharv62. We all had a bit of peace for a month when he took a break from the site, but sadly he’s back rubbing people up the wrong way again as usual. Somethings never change. Be the better man and don’t bite back.
FOOTBALLS COMING HOME
Get a grip mate all he said was England should win
Calm down guys, no need.
What will be will be, it doesn’t effect our personal lives whatever happens and surely a bit of banter shouldn’t be causing folk here to fall out..
Be the bigger man/men and ignore any baiting and let the talking be done by those on the pitch
I reckon it’s a draw in 90 and England to win in extra time as they have more energy on the bench, but as a Welshman it won’t bother me too much either way.
CHILL…….
Spot on elvis
I hope Italy win because I got on them at 11/1 to win it at the start . If England win it then fair enough . But please turn up this anti English thing . It`s cringe worthy .
If am totally honest cocker i don’t get it at all if England was out I’d be backing Scotland all the way…….
BONKERS BET.
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Zulia FC
V
Trujillanos FC
21:00
Venezuelan Premier Division
Trullijanos to score 6-4 (BETFAIR SPORTSBOOK).
trullijanos are truly terrible this season.
10 games 10 defeats scored 1 conceded 37.
This is why it’s a bonkers bet and not a NAP.
*** The one goal they scored was against today’s opponents Zulia ***.
Zulia last season out of 20 teams had the second worst defence and the worst home defense.
This season zulia have the second worst home defense, terrible trullijanos have the worst of course.
Zulia are currently 2nd bottom above terrible trullijanos.
Zulia last 6 games seen btts and overs And have conceded in 18 of last 20 games.
Basically if there is a team terrible trujillanos can score against its zulia as they did in may.
An interesting stat is that trullijanos have scored in 17 of the last 18 head to head.
I don’t know what’s happening at trullijanos as they have fallen off a cliff this season but at the price I can’t resist.
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Hope to fuk England dont win it be talking about it for the nxt 50yrs, at was never a pen
96th minute terrible trujillanos goal 😁
Quick post for the late Icelandic game:
IH HAFNARFJORDUR VS. ELLIDI (10.00pm)
OVER 4.5 GOALS
(13/8, bet365) NAP ⭐⭐⭐
OVER 4.5 GOALS
OVER 10.5 CORNERS
(4/1, bet365) LONGSHOT ⭐
Best of luck!
(13/8, bet365) NAP ⭐⭐⭐